Improvement in machines for gathering and binding grain



M. L. BAKER.

Horse Rake.

No. 34,934. Patented April 15. 1862.

UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE.

M. L. BAKER, OF MANNSVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR GATHERING AND BINDING GRAIN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 34,934, dated April 15, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M. L. BAKER, of Manusville, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented a new and useful im provement or device for gathering grain into gavels for the purpose of binding the same into sheaves; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side sectional view of my invention, taken in the line a600, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

The object of this invention is to expedite the raking up and binding of cut grain into sheaves from the swath.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a frame, which is constructed similar to an ordinary wheelbarrow, it being composed of two handles or side pieces, a a, connected by a cross-bar, b, and provided with a wheel, 0, at the front end. The side pieces, a a, ha e each an upright, (I, attached, and these uprights are connected bya cross-bar, 6. Between the upper parts of the uprights d d the e is placed a shaft, B, thejournals of which are fitted in the upper ends of the uprights dd, and are allowed to turn freely therein. Through the shaft B a series of teeth or fingers, 0, pass. These teeth or fingers are slightly curved, and their back ends are secured in a head, 0, to which rods fare attached, said rods extending down and being secured to a treadle-franie, D, the front end of which is attached to the front end of frame A.

E E represent two curved bars, which are attached to the cross-bar e and project up: ward, as shown clearly in Fig. l. The bars E E are stationary, and they serve as fenders or bearings for the cut grain while being bound.

The implement is used as follows: The operator grasps the handles or side pieces, a q, and shoves the machine along, the front ends of the teeth or fingers e raking up the cut grain from the windrow. When a suficient amount of grain is on the fingers e to form a gavel or sheaf the operator stops the machine and depresses, by means of his foot, the treadIe-frame D, thereby elevating the fingers e and clamping the gavel between the fingers and the bars E E. While the gavel is thus clamped it is bound by the operator and the sheaf is discharged, the operator shoving the machine along until another gavel is collected or raked up, when the binding operation is repeated.

I would remark that the fingers e will probably be sufliciently heavy to readily elevate by their gravity the treadle-frame i) when the latter is relieved of the pressure of the foot of the operator. In the event, however, of this not being the case, springs G may be applied to the frame A and the treadle-frame D to effeet the result, and may be constructed simply of india-rubber bands passing around the side pieces, a a, of the frame A and the side bars of the treadleframe, as shown in the drawings.

This simple machine, it will be understood, dispenses entirely with the aid of laborers to rake the grain into gavels.

The machine may he cheaply constructed, so as to be within the reach of all classes of agriculturists.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the bar 13 and teeth 6, passing through said bar, with the head (J, Iinkf, treadle D, curved bars E, and frame A, as herein shown and described.

M. L. BAKER.

Witnesses:

PAUL O. MAXON, HEAM S. THOMPSON. 

